Imagination of Air & the Azure Vault with Robert Bosnak

About the course:Imagination of Air & the Azure Vault

An in-depth course in Alchemical Psychology

With his remarkable chapter on air James Hillman devises a method to look at science and technology as a metaphor system. It shows how the spirits formerly seen in the alchemical process are now all around us in the technology we use. For our contemporaries it is essential to understand technology not just as the literal tools and inventions we employ, but as ways the creative autonomous imagination expresses itself technologically today and makes us into who we are. It teaches a radically new way of reflection. This chapter is essential for all dreamers who live in the here-and-now on our way to an uncertain future.

The Azure vault focuses on our ability to know the world by way of our sense of aesthetics. Alchemists tell us that each particle of matter is formed around its own creative spark called caelum, heaven. An eye trained in seeing the sparks in all matter by way of aesthetic recognition sees a world alive with creativity. Hillman teaches us to hone our skills of letting the world reveal itself as a living abode.

James Hillman was a past master of alchemical psychology. This field uses metaphors derived from ancient alchemy to elucidate deep structures in the creative imagination. Creative processes are not random. Imagination embodies along lines that become apparent when we ponder the frequently incomprehensible images of alchemy.

James Hillman was the primary training analyst of Robert Bosnak, who developed the field of embodied imagination: the way in which images can be felt in the body and shape our embodied condition. By studying alchemical psychology we come to understand ourselves and other humans in surprising ways that frequently diverge sharply from the habitual understandings we have unconsciously absorbed from the cultures in which we were raised. These new awarenesses can engender unexpected vitality and wonder.

This course follows the teachings of Hillman in his final and most profound book, Alchemical Psychology. This volume covers a lifetime of studies and is quite difficult to read by someone who is not deeply steeped in alchemy, the work of C.G. Jung as well as James Hillman. Bosnak has worked with and studied these thinkers for well over 40 years.

In the course we will go through the chapters ‘Imagination of Air’ and ‘The Azure Vault’ page by page, and frequently line by line, sometimes dropping even between the lines into the great mystery itself. For those who have tasted these mysteries, there is no way back. One is haunted by them for life. It was so with Jung, Hillman, and with Bosnak as well. It will happen to you if you’re open to it.

Robert Bosnak, PsyA is a Jungian psychoanalyst who graduated from the C.G. Jung Institute in Zurich in 1977. Since then he was been in private practice in the United States and Australia. He founded the Santa Barbara Healing Sanctuary, developed a method of working with dreams called Embodied Imagination. He also wrote several books, among which the worldwide bestseller ‘A Little Course In Dreams’.

Course length: This is a 10 class course. In eight months there are 10 web presentations of 1.5 hour.

Dates: live web broadcast, you will get an audio recording of the event as well.

Imagination of Air
April 13
May 4, 18
June 1,15,29
July 13, 27

Azure Vault
October 19
November 9

Time: 6pm PST / 9pm EST Location: online / webinar

Cost: 10 Sessions: $150 (incl. copy of the audio recording). Early bird discount until March 20th, only $135